New Ending, New Beginning
by Zeplerfer
Summary: At the final performance of 'Wicked', Emily Jones decides to change the musical's ending for the better. Nyotalia!USUK. Theater!AU.


*** Spoiler Warning!** * This story (sort of) spoils the ending to Wicked, so don't read if you plan to watch the musical. It's a big spoiler!

**Pairing:** fem!USUK.

Emily = fem!America

Elizabeth = fem!England

**Rating**: K+ for kissing.

* * *

Emily took a deep breath.

This was it. This was her final song with Elizabeth and their last performance together. Given their personalities, no one had been surprised when the two were cast in the main roles in the production: Emily as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, a bubbly young woman who adored being popular, and Elizabeth as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, a loner with a tender heart. Despite their opposite personalities, the two characters became bosom friends by the end of the musical. And so had their actresses.

As Emily took her place on stage, she smiled at Elizabeth, and launched into her favorite song of the entire musical:

"I've heard it said," she sang in a gentle, caressing tone, "that people come into our lives for a _reason_, bringing something we must learn..."

Emily gave it her all, hoping that this performance would be the best of the entire show. She loved this song because it reminded her of all the times—both good and bad—she had spent rehearsing the play with Elizabeth. Bickering over choreography, giggling together in the dressing room, getting tipsy at the rehearsal party. It was hard to imagine that she taunted Elizabeth into trying out for the part, certain that the quiet and bookish young woman would fail at the role. Hard to imagine that she had teased the other girl and complained about her to the other cast members. Emily had learned a lot about Lizzie over the last few months... and discovered a major revelation about herself as well.

As she continued, her voice grew stronger and more vibrant. "And we are led to those who help us most to grow, if we let them and we help them in return."

"So let me say before we part," Elizabeth crooned when they reached her part in the duet, "so much of me is made of what I learned from you. You'll be with me, like a handprint on my heart."

Their voices joined together for the chorus, filling the auditorium with beautiful harmony. Emily felt her heart race. It wasn't just the thrill of the show. It was also the excitement and the exhilaration of standing next to her crush. She loved the adoration of the audience, but she would trade it all for one genuine smile from Elizabeth.

As the two young women finished their duet, Emily leaned forward and gazed into the beautiful emerald depths of Elizabeth's eyes, a striking color that was perfectly matched by her long, green locks. Their high school didn't have enough money to pay for green skin dye, so they substituted hair dye instead. No matter. Emily thought that green hair looked fantastic on the other girl.

Everything about Elizabeth was wonderful and perfect. Emily loved the way the older girl glared and acted grumpy when she was really just embarrassed, the way she rejected every attempt to saddle her with a nickname (especially "Lizzie"), and even the way Emily had to consult her smartphone's dictionary to look up new words whenever insults flew from Elizabeth's lips. The English girl was smart and beautiful and, on those rare occasions when she smiled, Emily's heart skipped a beat.

Elizabeth was smiling right now, although it didn't count because it was part of the script. The script also called for them to hug at the end of the song, showing that their characters had overcome their initial dislike to become best friends.

Drawn in by the warm sparkle of Elizabeth's eyes, Emily unthinkingly closed her eyes and leaned forward until she forgot about the audience entirely and found herself kissing Elizabeth like it was the most natural thing in the world. The audience roared its approval, but Emily could barely hear them over the roar of the blood pounding in her ears.

She pulled back in shock. "Oh, no! I shouldn't have done that!" she cried.

"Why not?" Elizabeth smiled. "I liked it."

Emily felt Elizabeth's eyelashes flutter against her cheek and the other girl started kissing her again, pulling Emily closer as they embraced passionately on the middle of the stage. Emily would have been happy to kiss for hours, but the play had to go on, and Elizabeth pulled back as she heard their next cue. Elizabeth was a brilliant actress, so despite her obvious desire to continue making out on stage, she returned to the script.

"The witchhunters!" she cried. She pushed Emily to the side of the stage. "You must hide. No one can know you were here."

Emily nodded, following her own part mechanically as her mind raced with thoughts of what she had just done. She was worried about how everyone (especially Elizabeth!) was going to react when the show was over. Fortunately, her character was supposed to be terrified at this point of the show, so Emily didn't find it hard to act the part. She bit her lip and trembled as she watched the angry witchhunters "kill" Elphaba, the Wicked Witch.

But as she moved on to the next scene, it occurred to Emily that if she was going to change the plot she shouldn't do it by half measures. Her eyes widened as she thought of a way to create a _new_ happy ending, one where Glinda and Elphaba lived happily ever after. The musical director would just have to deal with it. She didn't think that Elizabeth or the audience would object.

So when it came time for Glinda the Good Witch to fly away in her floating bubble, the actress instead grabbed a broomstick and ran to the other side of the stage. She pulled open the trapdoor, knowing that Elizabeth was hiding inside.

"It worked!" Emily shouted. The line was supposed to be delivered by Elphaba's love interest, but Emily decided that _she_ wanted the part instead. She reached down and helped pull the other girl out of the hidden compartment.

"I thought you'd never get here," Elizabeth said, delivering her line perfectly despite the confused look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm a little slow." Emily grinned and began to croon, "but there's a girl I know, I love her so..."

Elizabeth touched her hand to her heart and smiled. The confusion in her eyes was replaced by a wicked glimmer. The English girl, seeing that Emily planned to change the ending, was more than happy to play along.

They stood up together and finished the play with a reprise of their first duet.

"I know I'll be truly..." Emily sang.

"...deeply..." Elizabeth added.

"..._loving_ you..."

"My whole life long," they sang together.

The audience jumped to its feet, thrilled by the new ending to the musical. As the thunderous applause finally died down, Emily lifted up her broom and showed it to Elizabeth. "Fly away with me," she suggested mischievously.

Elizabeth nodded, taking Emily's hand as they raced together off the stage. Emily didn't care what anyone else had to say, she decided that her version was a _much_ better way to end the story. And from the way Elizabeth was squeezing her hand, Emily knew that her improved ending would be the beginning of something wonderful.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

Yeah, I ship Glinda and Elphaba. Sorry Fiyero :)


End file.
